Matrix and method of making the same



Aug. 21, 192s. 1,681,447

E. R. TQRRISON v `IATRIX AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAIE Filed Aug. 2G, 1925 5 me 7 z/ zo l I lmn d INVENToR. J

'A 12x/yf Y.; ATTORNEYS..

Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

`EGIL RLTOERISON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN STOG- DELLv STOKES, OF HUN TIN GDON VALLEY POST OFFICE, PENNSYLVANIA.

MATRIX AND METHOD 0F MAKING THE SAME.

Application led August 26, 1926. vSerial No. 131,768.

This invention relates to the production of printing elements such as printing plate matrices or printing plates where a relatively thin facing section is formed of sprayed metallic particles and a suitable backing is united therewith to form a unitary composite body. Although'the descriptive matter is directed most particularly to theV production of a matrix,lit is to be understood that by process of inversion a printing plate can be made in a similar manner.

The object of the invention is the production ofa matrix face requiring a minimum amount of ypressure and being provided with a fine, glossy, smooth finish for the reproduction of fine half-tones, tint surfaces, or other fine high grade work.

It is .already well known in the art that a lead mold is best suited for the reproduction of fine originals, half tones and the like, but, unfortunately, great pressures are required in order to form such matrices and also to secure the high polish so necessary for this class of work. The lead mold, therefore, is being utilized in certain special cases Where strong,

^ thin originals such as copper etchings or electrotypes having heavy shells are available, but it has not been possible to produce reproductions from the ordinary mixed forms wherein 4original type matter appears alone or in combination with cuts or etchings because the heavy pressures necessary for the formation of the lead mold would seriously damage the original type formingmatter.

It has, therefore, been the custom to produce a wax mold Where original type matter was to be reproduced, as relatively low pressures are required for the formation of Wax molded matrices. The Wax mold, however, has the objection that tine half tones and tints are not reproduced satisfactorily because of several technical difficulties well understood. Therefore, lfor certain mixed form matrices the original etchings, cuts, etc. are reproduced -by the lead mold process and the type matter reproduced separately by the Wax process and the two, after the electrotype shell has been formed and backed up, are united to form a unitary replica. This procedure is, of course, expensivek and involves a great many technical Vdetails that tendto increase the cost of the reproductions.

A metallicfaced matrix, of course, offers advantages over wax matrices in that the material is a good conductor of electric currents and therefore it is quite simple to produce an electrolytic shell against a metallic faced matrix. On the other hand, a wax matrix requires considerable preparation such as graphiting of the surface before the surface of the matrix is made sufficiently conductive electrically, and these manipulations remove from the replica a certain exactness so much desired in the reproduction to be formed therein.

A metallic faced matrix when backed up by certain infusible cementitious materials such as, for example, the synthetic resins, becomes highly desirable whereV cementitious materials are to be molded therein in order to form pressed up or molded plates of cementitious-plastic material as the plate material will not have a tendency to stick to the metallic facing. There an ordinary foil is used as a facing for a cementitious backed matrix there is great danger of cutting through the foil and thus exposing sections of the cementitious material whereby the cementitious material of the matrix exposed through the cut foil will have a tendency to adhere to the plastic material to be molded therein. This usually results in broken out or cracked characters or portions of printing matter Whichit is practically impossible to repair.

0n the other hand, it is quite desirable to produce printing plates having a metallic face and a cementitious backing and such printing plates may readily be formed in most any matrix because there is no tendency for the sprayed particles to adhere to a smooth matrix forming surface. It is a further advantage, however, in that wherey a cementitious faced matrix is used a sprayed coating may be applied thereto and this coating will not adhere to the matrix and subsequently a cementitious backing may be formed in adherent union with the metallic facing, thus producing a compcsite printing yplate having a metallic face and a body of suitable cementitious material.

A metallic faced printing plate of this character, particularly when backed up with, say, synthetic resin compound such as of either the comminuted powder product or of the impregnated laminated sheet variety, has great advantages from a standpoint of use as the face is not-so brittle as a cementitious face would be, may readily be corrected or altered, and may readily be plated or coated like composition; However, where fine half tones, tiiits or the like are to be reproduced it has been found advantageous to mold these surfaces against a metallic faced matrix as therefseeins to be a clearer reproduction and no evidence of penetration of' the sprayed particles into the wax-like body* Furthermore, where ordinary type matter is to be reproduced it is most suitable to omit the use of the spray where la matrix is to be made because the sprayed particles may vbecome llodged between the type bodies and therefore the face of the matrix becomes locked to the original type forming" body. This can, of course, be very readily eliminated by preliminary treating the type form so as to prevent the sprayed particles from penetrating into the open interstices between the type units.

i Y As the. wax matrix isy admirably, suited for the reproduction of-type bodies it has been found desirable to spray oi'ilyvagainstV half tones, cuts, tints, etc. and this may readily be accomplished by taking an impression of the original typematter and making a maskby cutting out at the points where theI spray is desired, leaving the balance of the 'paper sheet intact. This paper mask is properly superimposed on the original type body consisting of the cuts and type matter and when subjected to the action of the spray only the cut-out portions will be` coated thereby. The spray is preferably Y applied in an extremely thin layer and when the Wax matrix is subsequently taken against the form or type body the metallic sprayed particles will adhere to the matrix material and will be removed thereby from the type matter. The pressure offorming the matrix has smoothened and polished the sprayed film and at the same time has produced a suitable impression of the balance of the form.

By substituting a suitable matrix oi a relatively infusible natureit can readily be seen that a thin spray may be applied to the matrix and that by applying a suitable plastic material, preferably' a synthetic.resin,`against such sprayed material, that a printing plate may be readily made thereby. 1

In the accompanying drawings :l

.Fig l isa Viewinfcross section of a body of type formingmatter conventionally shown as locke-d in a chase and having a paper mask superimposed Von top of the type forming body, exposing Ythe `cut which has sprayed metallic, Vparticles deposited' thereon.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view showing the. platens of a hydraulic press, the lower platen supporting the chase and combination as shown in Fig. 1 but .with the mask removed and havingsuperimposed thereon av slab .of suitable cemcntitiousl` material l for backing the metallic particlesv and forming-a cementit-ious Aface whereverV thev type forming body is not coated'with the'inetal-lic particles.

Fig. 3 isa cross sectional view of the completely formed composite matrix. i

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of a completed form of composite plate.

ln carrying out my invention I provide a suitable body of type asshown inl Fig. 1

wherein 1 indicates the chase, 2 the lock-up furniture, 3 the body of type, and 4a line half tone. l first take an impression' from the form in order to obtain the cut-out margins on a piece of paper so as to neatly and 'coiif- 35' Veniently lay out the cut-out portion which.

becomes the mask indicated at 5 andthe cutoutportion indicated at 6. By placing the form with the mask properly superimposed under a suitable metallic'spray nozzle, a thin layer of metallic particlesis deposited as shown at 7. The mask 5 maynow be rc-v moved, allowing the metallic particles within the cut-outarea of the mask to remain on the 1 p form.

ln 2 I show the form transferred to a suitable Vhydraulic press conventionally shown. Platens-are indicated at 8, the chase of type matter indicated'at l, being placed on the top face of the bottom platen 8' and there being superimposed on the body of type matter and sprayed metallic particles 7 a .suitable thermoplastic composition such as either a synthetic resin product or a `wax-like body indicated at 9; Under pressure or the coinbined action of heat and pressure the impression is taken, the particles 7 are caused to adhere to the plastic body 9, and the type characters 10 are likewise reproduced therein. i

Fig. 3 shows the completed matrix illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the matrix body or plastic material is again indicated at 9., the type forming depressions at 10., and the backed up inet-allie particles-at 7. The matrix is now'ready for use. It it is desired to produce a matrix having a` sprayed metallic faceY throughout, this, of course, can readily be done by eliminating the mask as shown in Fig. 1. f-

Fig. Li shows a modified form of structure "which may be considered as a.` printing plate wherein the sprayed particlesy again are shown at 7, the type forming elevations at- 10, and a suitable backing such as of a synthetic resin composition at 9. In this case it is usually preferable to have the sprayed metallic facing appear throughout.

While I have herein shown and described certain preferred embodiment-s of my invention, I Wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to all the precise details herein set forth, as modifications and variations may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

l. A composite element for use in the printing art having a type forming face of sprayed metallic particles and a suitable nonmetallic backing or body portion.

2. A composite element `for use in the print-ing art having a type forming face composed in part of sprayed metallic particles and in part of non-metallic material.

3. A matrix comprising a face section forming the elevations and depressions of a printing surface composed of sprayed metallic particles and a backing portion composed of a. Wax-like body.

4. A matrix comprising a face section having a portion of said face section formed of sprayed metallic particles and having a body or backing section united with the metallic facing portion and forming a facing section for the remaining portion of said matrix face.

5. A matrix composing a face section having a portion of said face formed of sprayed metallic particles and having a body or backing section of thermoplastic composition united with the metallic face portion and forming also a. facing section for the nonmctallic portion of the matrix face.

6. A matrix comprising a face section having a portion of said face formed of sprayed metallic particles and having a body or backing section composed of a Wax-like composition united With the metallic face portion and forming also a facing section for the nonmetallic portion of the matrix face.

7. The herein described method of making a composite printing element which consists in forming a sprayed facing layer of metallic. particles on the face of a type forming body and then applying a body of moldable plastic material on the exposed sprayed facing layer to form a backing therefor and united with the said facing layer and subsequently removing the composite printing element from the type forming body.

8. The herein described method of making composite printing element which consists in forming a sprayed facing layer of metallic particles on the face of a type forming body and then applying a body of moldable plastic material on t-he exposed facing layer and through the action of pressure forming and uniting the composite body and subsequently removing the composite printing element from the type forming body.

9. The herein described method of making a composite print-ing element which consists in forming a. sprayed fac-ing layer of metallic particles on the face of a type forming body and then applying a. body of moldable plastic material on the exposed facing layer and through the action of heat and pressure forming and uniting the composite body and subsequently removing the composite prnting element from the type forming bo y.

10. The herein described method of making a matrix for useI in the printing art, which consists in forming a sprayed facing layer of metallic particles on the face of a type forming body and then applying a Waxlike composition on the exposed facing layer and through the action of pressure forming, smoothening and uniting the composite matrix face and backing sections and subsequently removing the composite matrix from the type forming body.

l1. The herein described method of making a matrix for use in the printing art, which consists in applying a mask to the face of a type forming body, said mask having a cut out port-ion to expose selected portions of the said type forming body to the action of a metallic spray whereby only a portion of the Working face is thus coated With a layer of sprayed metallic particles, then removing the said mask and subsequently applying a body of moldable plastic material on the exposed facing layer and through the action of pressure uniting with and forming abacking for the metallic face and forming directly in said plastic composition Where in direct contact with the type forming body a replica of such elevations and depressions and then removing said composite matrix from the type forming body.

12. The herein described method of making ay matrix for use in the printing art, which consists in applying a mask to the face of a type forming body, said mask having a cut out portion to expose selected portions of the said type forming body to the action of a metallic spray whereby only a portion of the Working face is thus coated With a layer of sprayed metallic particles7 then removing the said mask and subsequently applying al body of Wax-like composition on the exposed facing layer and through the action of pressure uniting With and forming a backing for the metallic face and forming directly in said Wax-like composition Where in direct contact with the type forming body a replica of such elevations and depressions and then removing said composite matrix from the type forming body.

Signed at Philadelphia, in the County of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania.. this 2G day of August A. D. 1926.

EGIL R. TORRISON. 

